3 SUREFIRE METHODS

3 Surefire Methods that Make for a Productive Meeting

Sometimes a business meeting can achieve exactly what it sets out to do: communicate, assess actions, set goals, or otherwise. Other times, meetings can feel like a drain on your time and energy, and only advance your agenda in marginal ways. While meetings are an integral form of communication in the professional world, how can you ensure that they are both productive and worthwhile? The truth is, it takes intentioned planning to make a meeting a success. A well-curated meeting makes partners and employees feel unified as a team, excited about what’s to come, and motivated to achieve a collective goal. With that in mind, consider a few approaches below to maximize your next meeting and ensure that all parties involved leave with a renewed sense of direction and inspiration.

1. Create a detailed agenda in advance

Oftentimes meetings are scheduled with a loose goal in mind—to hash out the terms of a contract or to strategize a new marketing campaign, for example. To ensure your meeting is productive, time-efficient, and achieves its end, create a detailed agenda in advance. This means breaking down your overarching goal into pieces and outlining what’s required to complete each component. You might also consider making time blocks for each respective component, so there is a clear structure and hierarchy in place. Not only does this ensure that time is used wisely and evenly, but it also creates order and momentum for the greater task at hand. What’s more, you’ll want to distribute this detailed agenda in advance of your meeting, so that all attendees will be familiar with the format and delineated goals of your gathering. This will set a professional tone, while keeping team members and conversation on task.

2. Reserve off-topics ideas and comments for later

Too many meetings are derailed when an off-topic question or comment is made and hijacks the attentions of attendees. While it’s natural that outlying issues may arise when all team members are gathered, you can ward off distractions by creating a so-called holding area for off-topic talking points. This holding area will serve as the receptacle for any off-topic or lower priority addendum, and you can create a chunk of time towards the end of your meeting to readdress those points separately. Once you’ve achieved the highest priority goals of your meeting, you can then return to the items in your holding area. Note: be sure to familiarize your staff with this approach so that the expectation is already in place and interruptions won’t distract from your meeting’s true intent.

3. Conclude every meeting with a brief summary and action items

The very last thing you should do before concluding your meeting is to reemphasize the main takeaways of your gathering and outline a specific list of action items. Again, successful meetings are clear and give attendees a sense of direction. That’s why reiterating action items—or next steps in need of completion—to each respective employee is an essential component of a productive meeting. Likewise, summarizing main takeaways unifies a team’s understanding of what’s important and why the meeting was called in the first place. Ending on a concrete yet proactive note helps launch team members toward the next event in their day and gives them a sense of confidence as they tackle their duties.

Meetings don’t have to be a formality or a bore. When planned and executed with incisiveness, they can inspire your talent roster and streamline productivity in your office. Especially in the world of real estate, ensuring everyone is on the same page and doing their jobs effectively is key to success and longevity. Put a little planning into your next meeting, and you’ll save yourself valuable time and energy as you move forward.

ALSHUN COLE

Born and raised in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin area, Alshun “Al” Cole is a dedicated real estate agent and mentor. After the 2008 stock market crash, Al had been working as a mortgage broker, but decided to make the switch into real estate. Since 2009 he has worked with real estate sales and purchases in Milwaukee and the surrounding areas. He provides his clients with a smooth, enjoyable process that has already led to referrals accounting for about forty percent of his business.

In addition to his background in both the real estate and mortgage industries, Al is also a licensed contractor, so he is well-prepared to confront any possible situation. He believes that this high level of knowledge and experience sets him apart from other real estate agents in the area. “If I show a buyer a house,” Al explains, “I’m not looking at it with them as just an agent, I’m looking at it as a contractor as well.” He has had the hands-on experience to know what needs to be fixed or renovated, how much this could cost, and how to receive top-dollar for a sale or make a great deal on a purchase. Outside of real estate, Al is an avid Texas hold ‘em player, and he looks forward to getting more involved with local community organizations in the future. He has big plans for the future of his business as well, including growing his team and increasing their volume. Al is looking for like-minded agents, and within the next year and a half, he hopes to add at least five new agents to his team. He already sells a volume of about four million dollars per year but hopes that this move to add new agents will quadruple his yearly volume.

Through his unique background experience, Al has become an expert in the field and especially wellknown in the Milwaukee area. He loves working with each of his clients, whether they are first-time home buyers ready to make their dreams a reality or investors looking for help from the purchase to the sale. Al says that his favorite part of his job is “helping people achieve their goal of home ownership,” and no matter who you are or what your situation is, Al is ready to help you buy or sell your property.

Clients can tell that this knowledge and experience, as well as Al’s overall dedication and passion, pays off during their transactions. One former client shared in a review, “Al is professional, patient and proactive! Al showed me every house I wanted to see, some twice. He was very helpful in pointing out considerations that I would have overlooked. He also has a team available to help with renovations.” Al recognizes that though selling homes is not difficult in the current market climate, marketing is still an important process. He typically focuses on digital and online platforms to promote properties, including using the MLS and email blasts.

For more information about Alshun Cole, call 262-293-6341 or email al@alsproperties4u.com

SUE COON

Sue Coon’s love of houses and the business of real estate started after she purchased her first home at the young age of 22. She decided to pursue her newfound passion and started working her way up from being a licensed assistant to an agent, to one of the founding partners of Realty Trust Group. She later sold her interest in Realty Trust before it merged with Windermere to become Windermere Realty Trust. When she first branched out on her own, after gaining a couple years of experience, Sue worried whether it would be possible for her to even cover the cost of childcare with her earnings. Her worries turned out to be futile, because within three months of starting she had so much business that she had to hire a fulltime assistant to help out. And Sue passed her love of real estate down to her son, James, who knew that he wanted to become a REALTOR® at the age of 16, and joined his mom at work full-time immediately after graduating from Portland State University. Together Sue and James serve the Eastside of Portland.

Having grown up in Portland, Sue has immense knowledge of the area, its houses, and the local market. She specializes in vintage homes and is fascinated by their architecture. Thanks to her vast expertise and years in the industry, she’s been able to acquire a large percentage of repeat and referral business. “Both James and I always go above and beyond to provide a high level of service to each of our clients. We pride ourselves on our strong communication throughout the entire process. That’s really what it comes down to, good service and taking care of people,” she says. And working with her son has helped her create the perfect team dynamic, and allows them both to play to their strengths, as she enjoys the listing side of the business while James loves working with the buyers.

Sue’s marketing process is comprised of a healthy mix between modern and traditional methods. She utilizes social media and online marketing, but also advertises in print inside of a local publication. Sue also spends a lot of her time networking.

Not many people are lucky enough to do a job that they truly love. But for Sue, her work is her passion. “My job doesn’t feel like work because it’s something I love doing. It combines the two things I really enjoy: people and homes. I really cherish the interactions I have with my clients,” she says.

A good testament of her love for all things home related is the fact that even in her time off, Sue spends the majority of it working on decorating her own house. She also enjoys shopping and golfing when time permits. Going forward, Sue would like to continue working in real estate for as long as possible. She feels fortunate that one day she will be able to pass her real estate baton to her son and business partner over the last 16 years. She knows that he will ensure that the same values and ethics that have been her motto over the years will continue. “My motto is to treat everyone the way I want to be treated,” she says.

To learn more about Sue Coon please call (503) 730–8354, email scoon@windermere.com, or visit www.suecoon.withwre.com